"While the players support visor use being a matter of individual choice, we continue to regularly educate the players on the benefits of wearing a visor so that each player can make an informed decisions," NHLPA Mathieu Schneider said in a statement. "We will discuss visors and other important equipment-related matters at our player meetings this summer."

Staal was bleeding after being struck in the right eye when Kimmo Timonen's shot deflected off Jakub Voracek's blade during Tuesday's win against the Philadelphia Flyers. He was examined by ophthalmologist Mark Fromer and maxillofacial surgeon Mendel Markowitz.

"The injury has improved significantly and both doctors are optimistic that Marc will make a full recovery," the Rangers said in a statement. "Staal will be sidelined indefinitely."

The team claimed defenseman Roman Hamrlik off waivers on Wednesday from the Washington Capitals.

"The NHL is in favor (and has been in favor for many years) of the introduction of a rule that makes visor use mandatory," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email to USA TODAY Sports. " We have worked with the players' association for a number of years spanning at least back to the early 2000s on further regulation in this area and at least to the point, the PA has consistently supported maintaining this as a matter of "player's choice." Instead, they have favored and advocated for increased visor usage by players through continued education and sensitization to the dangers associated with not using visors."

According to the NHLPA, a record 73% of all NHL players wear visors, up from 69% last season. In 2009, about 56% of players were wearing visors. The Hockey News has reported that in 2001-02, about 26% of the players used visors.

"Obviously guys have played this game for a long time," Nashville Predators captain Shea Weber said. "There's guys like (Scott Hannan) who have been in for almost 1,000 games, and I think you should have the option whether or not to wear the visor."

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New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal was hit in the eye with a puck on March 5. The incident is likely to raise the issue of whether visors should be mandatory. A look at past injuries:
Elsa Getty, Images

Detroit Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi was high-sticked right below his left eye in a Jan. 29 game. A swollen socket was the extent of the damage. He didn't wear a visor afterward.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Mike Komisarek was hurt when he smashed his stick in practice on Jan. 29 and a few pieces of graphite embedded in his eye. He missed a couple games and didn't wear a visor upon his return.
Abelimages, Getty Images

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis now wears a visor after he was hit by a puck in practice on Dec. 9, 2011. He suffered facial and nasal fractures, ending his 499-game ironman streak.
Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports

Boston Bruins winger Daniel Paille was hit in the visor by a Steve Staios shot in a Nov. 7, 2011, game against the New York Islanders. The force broke his nose and he had surgery two days later to repair that and facial lacerations.
Charles Krupa, AP

George Parros, then with the Anaheim Ducks, needed surgery on Nov. 7, 2011, to repair a detached retina after he was hit in the eye by a deflected puck in practice. He missed a month but returned without a visor.
Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Flyers captain Chris Pronger was high-sticked near his eye on Oct. 24, 2011, and missed six games. He wore a visor after his return, but the high-stick also apparently caused a concussion that has kept him out since mid-November of that year.
Tom Mihalek, AP

A sign that the half shield works: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin was hit in the visor by a shot on Oct. 17, 2011. Instead of suffering major damage, he was able to return to the ice after getting a small cut stitched up.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Vancouver Canucks forward Manny Malhotra was hit in the eye by a deflected puck in March 2011. He needed several surgeries but was able to return for the Stanley Cup Final that season
Jeff Vinnick, NHLI via Getty Images

He wore a full shield then and a visor last season. On Feb. 14 of this season, the team put him on the injured list for the rest of the season because it was concerned that he was vulnerable to a check on the ice because of diminished sight in his left eye.
Darryl Dyck, AP

The visor debate was raised all the way back in 2000 because of an injury to Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan Berard, He was legally blind in his right eye after being hit by a stick on the follow-through of an Ottawa Senators player's shot in a March 2000 game. He missed the entire 2000-01 season.
Jonathan Hayward, AP

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The NHLPA has discussed this issue with its members, and they have continually wanted to maintain the current policy of players having a choice. Going into the last collective bargaining agreement negotiations, the NHLPA made sure that its players still felt the same way. Some players through the years have said they don't like the visors because they don't see the puck as well, particularly when it is in their skates.

Weber recently suffered a gash near his eye, but didn't don a visor

"Obviously, I'm thankful I didn't get hit in the eye," Weber said. "It was just around my eye, so I'm lucky. I've tried (a visor) and maybe eventually I'll keep trying it in the summer and get something. But for right now, I'm happy with not having one on."

Former NHL player Tom Laidlaw, now a player agent, represented former player Bryan Berard when he lost sight in one of his eyes in 2000 after being hit by a stick while not wearing a visor. Laidlaw himself had to temporarily wear a visor when he was injured.

"I know this sounds stupid considering all that I've gone through regarding (eye injuries)," Laidlaw said. "I'm old school, and I wouldn't make visors mandatory."

One of Laidlaw's concerns is that the more equipment players receive, the more chances they seem to take on the ice.

"But I would say the culture about visors has changed through years," Laidlaw said. "When I played, if you wore a visor, it meant you were not a physical player. Wearing a visor changed who you were as a player. I don't think that is the case any more."